Oh no... you... didn't....

So, my son had an altercation with another child today in a play area. My son was happily walking around waving to kids and saying hi (he's very friendly). He stops about 4 feet from this kid and is just looking at him. The other boy is about 4ish. The boy walks forward, pushes my son to the ground, and walks on. My son cries, I run over and pick him up. The kid gets in the play area, behind some clear plastic (good thinking, kid). I notice no one has come to say anything to him. I go to the plastic, bang on it HARD (my knuckles hurt later) about 5 or 6 times and say "THAT WAS A MEAN THING TO DO!" and take my son home. As I am leaving I see a man go up to the child.. I assume it's his dad.

When kids mess with your kid what do you do? I have had this happen when the parent is there, just watching, and when the parent is nowhere to be seen. I always give wiggle room for the younger ones. I mean, my son has hit kids too.. But at that age (at least 4) shouldn't they know better?!

So, my son had an altercation with another child today in a play area. My son was happily walking around waving to kids and saying hi (he's very friendly). He stops about 4 feet from this kid and is just looking at him. The other boy is about 4ish. The boy walks forward, pushes my son to the ground, and walks on. My son cries, I run over and pick him up. The kid gets in the play area, behind some clear plastic (good thinking, kid). I notice no one has come to say anything to him. I go to the plastic, bang on it HARD (my knuckles hurt later) about 5 or 6 times and say "THAT WAS A MEAN THING TO DO!" and take my son home. As I am leaving I see a man go up to the child.. I assume it's his dad.

When kids mess with your kid what do you do? I have had this happen when the parent is there, just watching, and when the parent is nowhere to be seen. I always give wiggle room for the younger ones. I mean, my son has hit kids too.. But at that age (at least 4) shouldn't they know better?!

I have had a older kid hit my older son when he was just 18 months old and the other kid was atleast 3-4 years old and what i did was i went up to the kid and would say" watch out for the little one" but if i seen the kid go up and puch him on purpose then i have said "dont hit my son" and i have never had a mother or father say anything to me about what i have said to their kids.. How old is your son? I think until they can say it themselves then we as parents have to say something for them... If i hear the parents say something to the kid then i wont say anything but if not i always do, no one messes with my boys lol

I have had a older kid hit my older son when he was just 18 months old and the other kid was atleast 3-4 years old and what i did was i went up to the kid and would say" watch out for the little one" but if i seen the kid go up and puch him on purpose then i have said "dont hit my son" and i have never had a mother or father say anything to me about what i have said to their kids.. How old is your son? I think until they can say it themselves then we as parents have to say something for them... If i hear the parents say something to the kid then i wont say anything but if not i always do, no one messes with my boys lol

It is absolutely acceptable to expect a 4 year old to be kind and nice to kids on the playground. My son is 4, and it is one of my pet peeves. I expect Zach to be nice to all kids, especially younger ones.

With that being said, I would have a HUGE issue with another parent scaring the crap out of my kid by banging on a window and yelling at him. It is bullyish, and it makes you no better than what that kid did in the first place.

A four year old is not an adult and they are not necessarily mature enough to know that what they are doing is hurting someone's feelings.

I get the anger but it should have been directed to the parent, and if a parent is not visable, then remove your child from the situation.

It is absolutely acceptable to expect a 4 year old to be kind and nice to kids on the playground. My son is 4, and it is one of my pet peeves. I expect Zach to be nice to all kids, especially younger ones.

With that being said, I would have a HUGE issue with another parent scaring the crap out of my kid by banging on a window and yelling at him. It is bullyish, and it makes you no better than what that kid did in the first place.

A four year old is not an adult and they are not necessarily mature enough to know that what they are doing is hurting someone's feelings.

I get the anger but it should have been directed to the parent, and if a parent is not visable, then remove your child from the situation.

I think I probably would have done the same thing you did. I've had "park incidents" quite a few times... I think Jordyn has a "pick on me" sign that I can't see. It's always totally random attacks!

The only time I've ever actually REALLY been pissed and touched someone elses kid was at a play area at an outdoor mall here in our area. There were probably 25 or so kids in the area playing, and everyone was being nice. Suddenly there was a little girl in there who was probably about 4 who was shoving kids off of the climbing toys and screaming in their faces. Most of the parents of these kids weren't paying attention, either too into their own conversations with others or too into their iPhones to notice. But I was there alone with Jordyn and wasn't taking my eyes off of her, as she likes to sit at the top of the slide and not go down! This girl ended up going up to the slide behind Jordyn, I was standing there waiting for Jordyn to get to the top so I could help make sure she went right down. Before Jordyn could even sit down, this girl pulled Jordyns hair and pushed her face first down the slide! I grabbed Jordyn and then went to the little girl, lightly held onto her arm to stop her from going down the slide while I was talking to her, and told her that she was not playing nice and that she needed to change her behavior before she really hurt another kid or she herself got in trouble... This was after I'd spent a good amount of time looking for a parent that seemed to "belong to" this kid.... There was no one! This little girl didn't change at all... kept going on terrorizing everyone. About 5 minutes later I saw a man standing on a little bridge outside of the play area videotaping her and seemed to be encouraging her... Another parent had called security at that point, and they came and kicked the man and little girl out of the area....

I think I probably would have done the same thing you did. I've had "park incidents" quite a few times... I think Jordyn has a "pick on me" sign that I can't see. It's always totally random attacks!

The only time I've ever actually REALLY been pissed and touched someone elses kid was at a play area at an outdoor mall here in our area. There were probably 25 or so kids in the area playing, and everyone was being nice. Suddenly there was a little girl in there who was probably about 4 who was shoving kids off of the climbing toys and screaming in their faces. Most of the parents of these kids weren't paying attention, either too into their own conversations with others or too into their iPhones to notice. But I was there alone with Jordyn and wasn't taking my eyes off of her, as she likes to sit at the top of the slide and not go down! This girl ended up going up to the slide behind Jordyn, I was standing there waiting for Jordyn to get to the top so I could help make sure she went right down. Before Jordyn could even sit down, this girl pulled Jordyns hair and pushed her face first down the slide! I grabbed Jordyn and then went to the little girl, lightly held onto her arm to stop her from going down the slide while I was talking to her, and told her that she was not playing nice and that she needed to change her behavior before she really hurt another kid or she herself got in trouble... This was after I'd spent a good amount of time looking for a parent that seemed to "belong to" this kid.... There was no one! This little girl didn't change at all... kept going on terrorizing everyone. About 5 minutes later I saw a man standing on a little bridge outside of the play area videotaping her and seemed to be encouraging her... Another parent had called security at that point, and they came and kicked the man and little girl out of the area....

Personally I don't say anything when they are little. My toddler is rough. I think kids especially boys should play rough and should work it out. That being said I make sure I have play dates that agree. On the playground I apologize if ds is rough but I would never say anything to a small child about pushing or hitting.

Personally I don't say anything when they are little. My toddler is rough. I think kids especially boys should play rough and should work it out. That being said I make sure I have play dates that agree. On the playground I apologize if ds is rough but I would never say anything to a small child about pushing or hitting.

I would praise your child for being "the bigger kid" and not pushing him back. Praising him for handling himself hopefully will make him feel empowered... That he had a choice to be mean back but chose not to. Hopefully this makes him feel less of a victim and motivates him to not be mean to other kids.

As for the other kid, I might have asked him where his parent was and then made the parent aware of what happened?

I would praise your child for being "the bigger kid" and not pushing him back. Praising him for handling himself hopefully will make him feel empowered... That he had a choice to be mean back but chose not to. Hopefully this makes him feel less of a victim and motivates him to not be mean to other kids.

As for the other kid, I might have asked him where his parent was and then made the parent aware of what happened?

Nadezdha defends herself. Had she been pushed down she probably would've gotten up and pushed him back. I believe she should defend herself and that she should not be shamed for doing so. If she pushed first, oh then its on and she's in trouble.

Nadezdha defends herself. Had she been pushed down she probably would've gotten up and pushed him back. I believe she should defend herself and that she should not be shamed for doing so. If she pushed first, oh then its on and she's in trouble.

I would have put him in a wrist lock! haha j/k if you're newer here you wouldn't get it.Anyway I have walked into the playroom at the gym & caught kids being mean to MY little angel lol, I really just want to spank the other kid for being mean to MY baby (ftr- I never ever would touch another person's child). But I have said things like "Hey, no you don't do that, that's not nice"It breaks my heart when I see my daughter with the look on her face like "what did I do to deserve this kid being mean to me?"

I would have put him in a wrist lock! haha j/k if you're newer here you wouldn't get it.Anyway I have walked into the playroom at the gym & caught kids being mean to MY little angel lol, I really just want to spank the other kid for being mean to MY baby (ftr- I never ever would touch another person's child). But I have said things like "Hey, no you don't do that, that's not nice"It breaks my heart when I see my daughter with the look on her face like "what did I do to deserve this kid being mean to me?"

I don't know. I don't assume ages anymore, because people would always assume my older DD was 2 years above her actual age because she was taller. I usually dont say anything, unless they are really irritating my child.

I don't know. I don't assume ages anymore, because people would always assume my older DD was 2 years above her actual age because she was taller. I usually dont say anything, unless they are really irritating my child.

First of all, a 4 year old should be more closely supervised on the playground. Had my son pushed a child down, I would have been the first person on the scene to reprimand my child and help the other the one up.

Would I approach and reprimand a 4 year old for pushing my kid down? There's a huge difference between what I'd want to do (punch the 4 yr old in the face) and what I'd do - which would simply be pick my child up and praise my child. I would never reprimand another child.

First of all, a 4 year old should be more closely supervised on the playground. Had my son pushed a child down, I would have been the first person on the scene to reprimand my child and help the other the one up.

Would I approach and reprimand a 4 year old for pushing my kid down? There's a huge difference between what I'd want to do (punch the 4 yr old in the face) and what I'd do - which would simply be pick my child up and praise my child. I would never reprimand another child.

So then you believe two wrongs make a right? I don't understand this mentality at all.

It's the mentality that my parents had all through school with my sisters and me, too. I don't believe in expecting my kid to just stand there and get pummeled, either. Especially when the kid is bigger. But hit first? Forget it.

So then you believe two wrongs make a right? I don't understand this mentality at all.

It's the mentality that my parents had all through school with my sisters and me, too. I don't believe in expecting my kid to just stand there and get pummeled, either. Especially when the kid is bigger. But hit first? Forget it.

"I don't believe in expecting my kid to just stand there and get pummeled, either."

Me neither, but I also don't think hitting someone because they hit you first is the right course of action or what I want to teach my children about life.I plan to teach our children to be the "bigger" guy and walk away.

"I don't believe in expecting my kid to just stand there and get pummeled, either."

Me neither, but I also don't think hitting someone because they hit you first is the right course of action or what I want to teach my children about life.I plan to teach our children to be the "bigger" guy and walk away.

I would have been upset as well but I would not have banged on the glass repeatedly, I think that is an immature reaction. Telling the kid what he did was not nice is perfectly reasonable but taking it that extra level was inappropriate imo.

I would have been upset as well but I would not have banged on the glass repeatedly, I think that is an immature reaction. Telling the kid what he did was not nice is perfectly reasonable but taking it that extra level was inappropriate imo.

Me neither. I plan to teach our children to be the "bigger" guy and walk away.

That's nice. When my kid was six, he was playing at the playground across the street from our house. It's a neighborhood park; there's one or two in pretty much every neighborhood in our town.

Andy tried to be the "bigger" kid and walk away when the neighbor kid tried to bully him. The neighbor kid followed him and pushed him down from behind. In that case, walking away didn't work. Andy turned around and punched him. The kid stopped bullying Andy after that. Andy stopped being an easy target.

Me neither. I plan to teach our children to be the "bigger" guy and walk away.

That's nice. When my kid was six, he was playing at the playground across the street from our house. It's a neighborhood park; there's one or two in pretty much every neighborhood in our town.

Andy tried to be the "bigger" kid and walk away when the neighbor kid tried to bully him. The neighbor kid followed him and pushed him down from behind. In that case, walking away didn't work. Andy turned around and punched him. The kid stopped bullying Andy after that. Andy stopped being an easy target.

At four they should know better? Is four the new twenty? For peak's sake they are four. They are still developing. They are just beginning to learn self control, right from wrong, etc.

I think what you did was incredibility out of line. Since your kid hits too, would it be acceptable for a parent to do that to your child?

I think parents now a days are way too uptight. Kids are kids. They learn through trial and error. Hitting, playing rough, etc. is a NORMAL TODDLER BEHAVIOR. Sure it is our job as parents to correct the unacceptable behavior, but as parents it is also our job to understand this behavior does not equate instantly to an unruly bullish behavior either.

At four they should know better? Is four the new twenty? For peak's sake they are four. They are still developing. They are just beginning to learn self control, right from wrong, etc.

I think what you did was incredibility out of line. Since your kid hits too, would it be acceptable for a parent to do that to your child?

I think parents now a days are way too uptight. Kids are kids. They learn through trial and error. Hitting, playing rough, etc. is a NORMAL TODDLER BEHAVIOR. Sure it is our job as parents to correct the unacceptable behavior, but as parents it is also our job to understand this behavior does not equate instantly to an unruly bullish behavior either.

Seriously- I started typing that I would want to punch the kid in the face, but then I back spaced & typed I would want to spank the kid b/c I figured I would get jumped on for even saying that haha. At least you say what's really on your mind lol.

Seriously- I started typing that I would want to punch the kid in the face, but then I back spaced & typed I would want to spank the kid b/c I figured I would get jumped on for even saying that haha. At least you say what's really on your mind lol.

What I do not understand is they are toddlers for heaven's sake, not preteens duking it out at the bus stop. This type of behavior is well within the normal range for toddlers. I am baffled how some are making it out to be their child being bullied, beaten, or pummeled.

What I do not understand is they are toddlers for heaven's sake, not preteens duking it out at the bus stop. This type of behavior is well within the normal range for toddlers. I am baffled how some are making it out to be their child being bullied, beaten, or pummeled.

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